Ted Cruz: Unsure if he’d block vote on Senate deal

Ted Cruz is waiting to decide whether to hold up a potential deal in the Senate that would reopen the government and avert a breach of the debt ceiling.

With the debt limit deadline looming Thursday and quick Senate action needed to beat it, Cruz would not divulge whether he’d allow a quick vote on an emerging deal to reopen government and raise the debt ceiling. Bypassing Senate rules that would slow the voting process requires the consent of every member of the chamber, which will be critical this week to avoid a panic in the markets over potentially missing the debt ceiling deadline.

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Cruz deflected more than half a dozen questions from reporters using the wait-and-see line. Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Cruz were the leading voices in attempting to defund Obamacare as a condition to keeping the government open, and their consent to move quickly will be paramount in avoiding a breach of the debt ceiling.

Lee was frequently on his cell phone outside the Senate chamber Monday evening, unable to talk to reporters. A Lee aide did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), another leading conservative involved earlier this year in the defund movement, indicated he will not delay Senate legislation and said he has “never really planned on trying to obstruct any of the process.”

The Republican reaction to the emerging deal that would strike only at the periphery of Obamacare was mostly muted Monday as members prepared for a full briefing — and potential whipping — from their party leadership on Tuesday morning. But there was some disagreement on whether conservatives will give consent to speed up votes.

Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) said he found it “hard to believe” any Republican would obstruct a vote. But Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) wasn’t so sure.

“Without naming a senator’s name, there is one of the senators that has a hold on every nominationn to get more leverage on a continuning resolution. It looks to me like it would be difficult to get [unanimous consent],” Grassley said.